According to Bonfas Ndura, the proprietor, the fire started at an adjacent farm and quickly spread to their roof. He claimed the county fire brigade delayed in responding and said the crew had to make several trips back to town to refill the water tanker that often ran out of water.

But County Chief Superintendent in-charge of fire services Isaiah Marori said it was a challenge to coordinate and get water from the privatised water firm, NZOWASCO, controlled in Webuye, over 70 kilometers away.